Projectile recovery apparatus



April 13, .1967 F. R. HICKERSON ETAL 3,314,286

PROJECTILE RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

IN VENTORS FR EDER\CK R. H\CKERSON ANDREW J. MARHEF-KA BY CARL 10550 ATTORNEYS April 18, 1967 F- R. HICKERSON ETAL 3,314,236

PROJECTILE RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FREDERICK R. HICKERSON ANDREW d. MARHEFKA BY CARL. P. 05530 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice 3,314,286 PROJECTHLE RECUVERY APPARATUS Frederick R. l-lickerson, Newton, Andrew J. Marhefka,

Port Morris, and Carl P. Iosso, Dover, N1, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed July 8, 1965, Ser. No. 470,638 2 Claims. ((31. 73-167) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to means for recovering fired projectiles and, more particularly fired projectiles intended for subsequent engineering examination and evaluation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive arrangement for intact recovery of fired projectiles or missiles in their original or simulated form for maximum simulated test evaluation.

In one aspect of the invention a gun tube having an open forward end has secured thereto a cable ring assembly that includes an apertured forward ring and a rearward projection having means for securing thereto projectile drag apparatus, the ring aperture being substantially coaxial with the tube hollow interior, and shock absorbing means interposed between the tube forward end and a rear face of the ring and having a portion extending inwardly of the tube internal surface.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view of a preferred arrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of certain parts as the projectile is fired and exits from the gun tube muzzle.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are elevational views of sequential relative positions of the projectile and its additional drag means.

In FIG. 1 the gun tube or muzzle forward end 11 having an internal surface of predetermined dimensions and appropriate land and groove construction 12 to impart a desired exit performance of a fired projectile 13 or other propellant actuated device having a predetermined groove-mating rotating band 14 which defines outwardly directed flange means on the rear portion of the projectile. Suitably connected to the external surface of the tube open forward end 11 is a cable ring assembly shown generally at 15 and including a forward apertured ring 16 and an integral rearward extension 17 terminating in a ring-like or eyelet member 18 that supports a swivel connection 19 for the purpose of securing a cable 20 of additional projectile drag apparatus. The ring aperture 21 is substantially aligned or coaxial with the hollow interior 22 of the gun tube forward end. A suitable shock absorbing material 24 preferably in the form of a predetermined dimensioned annulus is positioned adjacent the inwardly extending rear face 25 of ring 16. An appropriate force receiving annular member 26 is disposed intermediate the rearmost portion of shock absorbing material 24 and the forward face 27 of tube 11, ring member 26 having an apertured portion 28 extending sufficiently inwardly of the tube forward end to receive the main portion of the projectile body 13 and yet be engaged by the projectile rotating band 14 as the latter is about to exit from the muzzle or gun tube (FIG. 1).

An appropriate balloon 30 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5) and its long cable 20 which preferably is swivel-connected to the cable ring assembly and thus to the propellant actuated 3,314,286 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 device 13 upon the latter being fired from the tube 11 by a selected weapon system. As the rotating band 14 of the projectile clears the muzzle it impacts the ring assembly, the interference which is created allowing the projectile to pick-up the cable attached to the ring. The shock absorbing means limit the impact forces, and after the interlock is completed the cable ring assembly (FIG. 2) will increase the drag of the projectile in the form of additional weight.

In the later portion of the trajectory wherein the cable 20 begins (FIG. 5) to assume an extended position, the balloon 30 will contribute additional drag to the projectile after gradual reduction of projectile velocity, the projectile will seek a point directly below the balloon at which time the additional weight of the projectile to the balloon will enable the arrangement to descend for soft recovery thereof, thereby permitting subsequent engineering examination and evaluation of the intact-recovered projectile.

Where use of other propulsion systems are contemplated such as where rockets are fired from rail type launchers, the cable may be attached directly to the rear of the rocket system prior to firing.

Various modifications, changes or alterations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with a gun tube having an open forward end for release of a fired projectile, of a cable ring assembly secured to said tube forward end,

said assembly including a forward ring and a rearward projection having means for securing thereto additional drag apparatus to retard the flight velocity of said projectile,

said ring having an aperture substantially coaxial with the hollow interior of said tube forward end and defined by an inwardly directed flange, and

shock absorbing means interposed between said tube forward end and said ring flange, said shock absorbing means having a portion extending inwardly of the internal surface of said tube forward end for engagement by outwardly directed flange means on a rear portion of said projectile.

2. The combination with a gun tube having an open forward end for release of a fired projectile, of a cable ring assembly secured to said tube forward end,

said assembly including a forward ring and a rearward projection having a swivel connection securing thereto a balloon and a cable therefor to retard the flight velocity of said projectile,

said ring having an aperture substantially coaxial with the hollow interior of said tube forward end and defined by an inwardly directed flange, and

an annulus of shock absorbing material interposed between said tube forward end and said ring flange, said material having a portion extending inwardly of the internal surface of said tube forward end for engagement by outwardly directed flange means on a rear portion of said projectile.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,385 2/1907 Behr 10289 2,269,900 1/1942 Bickel 1029 2,396,666 3/1946 Larvick l0289 X 3,087,427 4/ 1963 Thorildsson 102-34.1

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

2. THE COMBINATION WITH A GUN TUBE HAVING AN OPEN FORWARD END FOR RELEASE OF A FIRED PROJECTILE, OF A CABLE RING ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SAID TUBE FORWARD END, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FORWARD RING AND A REARWARD PROJECTION HAVING A SWIVEL CONNECTION SECURING THERETO A BALLOON AND A CABLE THEREFOR TO RETARD THE FLIGHT VELOCITY OF SAID PROJECTILE, SAID RING HAVING AN APERTURE SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL WITH THE HOLLOW INTERIOR OF SAID TUBE FORWARD END AND DEFINED BY AN INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE, AND AN ANNULUS OF SHOCK ABSORBING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID TUBE FORWARD END AND SAID RING FLANGE, SAID MATERIAL HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID TUBE FORWARD END FOR ENGAGEMENT BY OUTWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE MEANS ON A REAR PORTION OF SAID PROJECTILE. 